[SP Wild]

 
Quote:

If you ever get to try out the 598 at a meet in the future, I highly suggest it. Many people who tend to dislike Sennheiser stuff love the 598. I wasn't a fan of the the OLD HD-650, OLD HD-600 or modded HD-555 at all. I read some reviews of the 598 and that it had some forward sounding mids and just had to get it. Loved it immediately. Compared to the modded HD-555 the soundstage is MASSIVE! To me, the HD-598 is nothing like the HD-555 I had. For comparison I'd say the HD-598 soundstage is the 3rd biggest I've heard yet. The AD700 is the largest with the K702 being second. I loved the 598 immediately and it's what made me try the silver screened HD-650 out. I kept comparing it to the HD-600 and ended up with the HD-650 due to it being slightly more revealing and detailed than the HD-600. It took some work to tell the difference in how clear the sound of the HD-650 was compared to the HD-600. I prefer a more neutral headphone, but the HD-650 is close enough on the Micro Amp, but does change the mids a tad maybe. I never once felt the HD-650 was bass heavy. Before I ever tried the HD-650 I always thought it was.
 
The soundstage of my HD-650 on my Asgard was fairly closed in, but it improved with my E9 (somehow) and on the Micro Amp. I think the Micro Amp makes the HD-650 just the way I like it. The soundstage is quite large. I don't think it's larger than my K601's soundstage, but that's OK. The HD-650's soundstage with the 4 amps I've tried it with is smaller than that of the 598's by far. Not a big deal though. If a $600+ amp could make it larger than that of the 598 I'd be extremely impressed, but I don't think it's possible. I mean how would it be? That's like an amp TOTALLY transforming the HD-650! I do agree that a better amp makes it slightly larger, but I think there HAS to be a limit.
 
With my HD-650 I prefer CDs from my Oppo, but I guess I should do a 320kbps vs FLAC test again. I personally don't want to do this since I just want to enjoy my music. The HD-598, K601 and HD-650 make me just want to forget all this nit-picking. I think out of the dozens of headphones I've been with I've only come across maybe 2 or 3 that are perfect for ME and my preferences.
 
I'm not a huge fan of MP3 format, but I don't find 320kbps horrible. Despite using lossless, 320kbps is acceptable if it's absolutely required. I often download albums off Amazon MP3 that's too expensive to buy on CD and even the quality of those 256kbps files doesn't bother me too badly on the HD-650. 
 
If I could tell the difference between 320kbps and FLAC it'd be so minor that It probably wouldn't bother me. I often use an Ipod Touch during weight lifting and ALAC even on a 32gb player really hurts!
 
I bought some ambient music on Itunes a few months ago that was originally from Japan and the quality is just awful. I don't know who to blame. I buy all my music and often just get used CDs from Amazon. I found a few Cantopop CD originals (that are OOP) on Amazon for under $5. Even if they have minor scratches 95% of the time they're OK.


 

The problem I really hated with the HD595 was not tonality, but the grain and and also I felt the actual cups and frames (the chassis) was poorly engineered and was not dampening diaphragm excursion adequately and it seems nothing was done about this with the HD598.  Its the same problem I have with the K1000s (vibration dampening).
 
I do feel it is true what they say about the HD650...the soundstage scales well with higher end equipment.  Unfortunately for me soundstage takes a back seat to resolution in my preferences and this is where I find the HD650 lacking compared to most of my other cans.  I urge for those that enjoy the HD650 to seek out for 70 dollars a pair of Fostex T50 Ortho planar headphone, then one can easily tell where the HD650 is lacking.
 
I still enjoy my HD650s a lot by the way...but by and large, they have truly been succeeded for me by the LCD2s, something the HD800 could never achieve.  I use the HD650 for movies and games where I can't slouch...something that shouldn't be done with the LCD2s weight.

 

[MrScary]

The sound of the HD650 is a combination of your source your DAC your AMP and then the HD650 you make it sound like the HD650 is so veiled that it cannot pick up the difference between an MP3 and a FLAC file are you also going to say that it cannot determine the difference between a 44 file and a 96/24 file?

Whoa. It was all fun and games until I read that part. Somebody is drinking the kool-aid. No - you cannot hear the difference between 16-bit vs 24-bit, unless the files are recorded from two different sources completely.

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/415361/24bit-vs-16bit-the-myth-exploded

What are you talking about, think you been smoking the funny stuff you can surely tell the difference between 16bit and24 bit material that is recorded in such a manner, of course they would have to be recorded via 24bit or 16bit
That myth exploded does not account for the human ear and that article is full of holes. See they made SACD's and 192/24 bit material for fun its a big joke on all of us...

 

[tdockweiler]

Yeah the HD-598 is fairly grainy compared to the HD-600, but it's not too bad. It's mids are just so addicting and I think the HD-598 makes music more engaging and fun to listen to than the HD-650, but it's not "better" of course. HD-650 isn't far behind. My preferred genres are fairly limited though. HD-598 has some of the best female vocals I've heard for an open headphone under $200.
 
The HD-598's build quality could be improved a little though. The K601 is very similar in it's signature but is built a lot better and has less plastic. I think many places are offloading the K601 at such a low price because they probably don't sell! HD-598 is $175 and the K601 I got for $188 new. The HD-598 is tied with the K601 as my favorite gaming and movie headphone.  The K601 is harder to drive than the K702 but less picky about amps it seems like. I think even the E9 is perfectly fine for it.
 
I bought the T50RP a month ago and I don't want to know how many hours I spent trying to mod it. In the end I had glimpses of how great it could sound, but I think I had a lemon. I basically tried everything in the world there is to do to get it to sound decent. Even tried Akasa foam, Blu-Tack and at least 4 other types of materials. Started over from scratch half a dozen times. I think I must have the first T50RP that was un-moddable! I think I read almost every single post in it's thread and that's almost impossible to do since it goes on forever.
 
Maybe I had a defect. One strange thing I noticed is that I never had it up loud at all and within 15 minutes my ears would be ringing and I had to stop listening to them.

 
Quote:

 


The problem I really hated with the HD595 was not tonality, but the grain and and also I felt the actual cups and frames (the chassis) was poorly engineered and was not dampening diaphragm excursion adequately and it seems nothing was done about this with the HD598.  Its the same problem I have with the K1000s (vibration dampening).
 
I do feel it is true what they say about the HD650...the soundstage scales well with higher end equipment.  Unfortunately for me soundstage takes a back seat to resolution in my preferences and this is where I find the HD650 lacking compared to most of my other cans.  I urge for those that enjoy the HD650 to seek out for 70 dollars a pair of Fostex T50 Ortho planar headphone, then one can easily tell where the HD650 is lacking.
 
I still enjoy my HD650s a lot by the way...but by and large, they have truly been succeeded for me by the LCD2s, something the HD800 could never achieve.  I use the HD650 for movies and games where I can't slouch...something that shouldn't be done with the LCD2s weight.

 

 

[pp312]

I wonder what MrScary has against punctuation.
 
 
P.S. I have a general question. Why does my post appear in 16:9 ratio when everyone else's is in 4:3? 

 

[MrScary]

I wonder what MrScary has against punctuation.
 
 
P.S. I have a general question. Why does my post appear in 16:9 ratio when everyone else's is in 4:3? 

I'm alergic

 

[LugBug1]

The "infamous veil" is there to smooth over mp3 recordings, contact Sennheiser they will tell you!. Please read what I have posted before using your "presumptions" 
 
That second point would be better aimed at one of the many Grado vs' threads. No-one has said that the 650's aren't revealing, only that it is pointless changing your entire music colection to flac instead of mp320, because the 650's will not show much, if any difference. This is a good thing not a bad one!      
 
Quote:

 



"The infamous veil isn't there to make your crappy setup sound tolerable. It's there because you have a bottleneck in your chain."

"These are revealing cans, and they don't need exaggerated treble to convey the false sense of detail - you just need gear resolving enough to show you things as they are."


 
 
 
 

 

[olor1n]

LOL. It's hilarious how some of you get your panties so knotted when someone presents a differing view. It's also telling how selective you guys are when responding.

 

[pp312]

Quote:

Quote:

I wonder what MrScary has against punctuation.
 
 

 

 
I'm alergic

Or "allergic", as the case may be.
 
I believe some people break out in hives at the first sign of a full stop or comma. It's a common malady on many forums.

 

 

[SP Wild]

Quote:

Yeah the HD-598 is fairly grainy compared to the HD-600, but it's not too bad. It's mids are just so addicting and I think the HD-598 makes music more engaging and fun to listen to than the HD-650, but it's not "better" of course. HD-650 isn't far behind. My preferred genres are fairly limited though. HD-598 has some of the best female vocals I've heard for an open headphone under $200.
 
The HD-598's build quality could be improved a little though. The K601 is very similar in it's signature but is built a lot better and has less plastic. I think many places are offloading the K601 at such a low price because they probably don't sell! HD-598 is $175 and the K601 I got for $188 new. The HD-598 is tied with the K601 as my favorite gaming and movie headphone.  The K601 is harder to drive than the K702 but less picky about amps it seems like. I think even the E9 is perfectly fine for it.
 
I bought the T50RP a month ago and I don't want to know how many hours I spent trying to mod it. In the end I had glimpses of how great it could sound, but I think I had a lemon. I basically tried everything in the world there is to do to get it to sound decent. Even tried Akasa foam, Blu-Tack and at least 4 other types of materials. Started over from scratch half a dozen times. I think I must have the first T50RP that was un-moddable! I think I read almost every single post in it's thread and that's almost impossible to do since it goes on forever.
 
Maybe I had a defect. One strange thing I noticed is that I never had it up loud at all and within 15 minutes my ears would be ringing and I had to stop listening to them.

 


 

That is why I believe that HRTF is indeed at play when discussing headphones.  Could be certain frequencies mingling with your unique resonant properties in your ear canal that excites things in bad ways...I kinda got that feeling with the HD800 20 minutes at reference levels...it took a month with low volume when I gave it a second chance.  The end result was the same unbearable disgust and a lot of ear ringing.
 

 

[SP Wild]

Well I don't think the HD650 deserves the "veiled" reputation...because it should also apply to the K701...but the K701 does not have this reputation.  I'm afraid in this comparative sense, the "veil" is merely interpreted as such by people who prefer a brighter presentation.
 
Actually I do recall the first time I tried the HD650 with my then new Reference 7 dac...I posted how it completely transformed and opened up the HD650 and how I never felt that such a humble headphone had any right to sound so grand.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

Well I don't think the HD650 deserves the "veiled" reputation...because it should also apply to the K701...but the K701 does not have this reputation.  I'm afraid in this comparative sense, the "veil" is merely interpreted as such by people who prefer a brighter presentation.
 
Actually I do recall the first time I tried the HD650 with my then new Reference 7 dac...I posted how it completely transformed and opened up the HD650 and how I never felt that such a humble headphone had any right to sound so grand.

Yeah, I'd go with that. The 650's are smooth and none fatiguing.. that's better than "veiled" They can have amazing detail and resolution with a good source.
Now lets all be friends, we're all on the same side! ha ha

 

[olor1n]

Quote:

Yeah, I'd go with that. The 650's are smooth and none fatiguing.. that's better than "veiled" They can have amazing detail and resolution with a good source.
Now lets all be friends, we're all on the same side! ha ha

Good man. Carry on.

 

[MrScary]

Yeah, I'd go with that. The 650's are smooth and none fatiguing.. that's better than "veiled" They can have amazing detail and resolution with a good source.
Now lets all be friends, we're all on the same side! ha ha

I second that

 

[shaunybaby]

hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music????? hhhhrrrrrmmmmmmmmm so can anyone here forget about how the hear things and just enjoy the music?????

sorry that was so over the top but this is ''Sennheiser HD650 Appreciation Thread!!'' not trolling apprecaition thread.

im enjoying my headphones after a hard week.

 

[sridhar3]

^ Was that quite necessary?